Land use and soil management situations in Nigeria - An analytical review of changes

The estimated land area of Nigeria is 904,000 km(2) with a population of over 120 million. The use to which land is put differs from one location to another, especially when the immediate needs of the society or community concerned are not the same. However, the different uses of land revolve around agriculture (crop and animal production), industry (both oil and non-oil) and social needs such as the provision of infrastructure. This analytical review shows that about 65% of the land area of Nigeria is under various forms of food (crop and animal) production and forest plantation. This is categorized as follows: food crop production, 42%; extensive grazing and livestock projects, 21%; plantation (crop,forest, teak), <2%; and agriculture in denuded areas, <1%. From 1976-95 (the only available records) there were substantial changes in land area under intensive and floodplain agriculture (16%), extensive grazing and livestock projects (13%), plantation (>450%) and crop production in denuded areas (>150%). All the forest and grassland regions diminished in area over this period. These probably led to a >1,000% increase in areas under-gullies and salty marsh, and >500% in area occupied by sand dunes. Even though-these degraded areas occupy <10% of the land area of the country, the rates at which they encroach on more useful land are a dangerous omen for the country's land resources in general and agriculture in particular. Possible soil management solutions to avert these situations are discussed. The paper-also highlights the fact that failures in implementation and/or fragmented approaches are the major problems of land use policy in the country, and that these need to be addressed for sustainable development to take off.